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Friday, May 29, 2015

Kindle Kandy is a Friday weekly bookish feature hosted by The Book Dame. We scan our shelves and eReaders to rediscover books that we own but have not read, to this point little more than shelf or Kindle Kandy. To many books and too little time and all that jazz.LOVE this idea of this meme! Here's my Kindle Kandy for this week:Deep BlueBy Jules Barnard292 pages, published March 2014Genre: New Adult RomanceFrom Goodreads:When Cali Morgan kicks
off her perfect post-college summer in Lake Tahoe, she has everything
she ever wanted: acceptance into a top law program, a gorgeous
boyfriend, and an incredible summer planned with her best friend.

Confident
about her place in the world, Cali makes it her mission to be her
friend’s wingwoman over the break and help her meet guys. What Cali
doesn’t count on is running into Jaeger Lang, one of her older brother’s
high school friends, or the sparks that fly when she’s around him.

Jaeger
has changed, and it’s not just the added height and muscle. There’s
something about him that’s deep and a little scarred. In spite of the
changes, Jaeger becomes a top pick for her friend—if Cali can keep her
hands off him.

But when Cali’s boyfriend dumps her and her
carefully laid plans begin to unravel, she finds herself questioning
what it is she truly desires. In the midst of doubts about her future,
one thing is very clear: she wants Jaeger for her own. The question is,
has her friend already fallen for him?I got this one either free, or on a Kindle deal, or something awhile back and it's been sitting on my kindle for quite a few months now. Now that I've re-read the synopsis, it might be a great summer read...Happy Friday and Happy Reading!!

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Title: The Girl on the TrainAuthor: Paula Hawkins336 pages, published January 2015Genre:Source: LibraryFrom Goodreads:Rachel takes the same
commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track,
flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal
that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their
deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,”
she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the
life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking.
It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now
everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what
she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what
happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done
more harm than good?

A compulsively readable, emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller that draws comparisons to Gone Girl, The Silent Wife, or Before I Go to Sleep, this is an electrifying debut embraced by readers across markets and categories.

My Review:

This book has had SO much hype, so I was eager to read it! I'll be honest by saying I liked it but didn't LOVE it--I didn't think it was quite up to the level of hype it's been receiving. Parts of it reminded me ea lot of Gone Girl, but no where near as wild and crazy and addictive to read. This one kept me reading and I most definitely got hooked into it,but it was more from a "I just want to know what happens" standpoint rather than an "I absolutely love this book" standpoint.The book switched between Rachel's point of view and Megan's point of view--which I liked. The difficult part to keep straight was the switching time periods. I was glad I was reading the physical book instead of the e-book on my kindle, as I had to keep flipping back pages to remember what the time frame was, as much of the book revolved around a specific date.The plot of the book was great, and certainly kept me guessing, but I felt like it dragged on a bit in the middle. No pun intended, but the book was a bit of a train wreck--all of the main characters were a hot mess. But that's definitely what kept me reading the book--so I'm definitely glad I read it. I think if I hadn't heard all the hype I may have liked it more--but overall it was a decent read. Overall rating for "The Girl on the Train": 3 starsHappy Reading!

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Since I can't go toe the actual BEA Conference this week, I am participating in Armchair BEA! It's a way to "virtually attend" the conference and connect with other bloggers! I loved this event last year and am excited to participate again! The hosts have created some Intro questions for today, so here are my answers!

Tell us a bit about yourself: How long have you been blogging? Where are you from? How did you get into blogging?My name is Lori Palmer, and I live in a small town in the state of Oregon! I've been blogging for just over a year, and I love it! I've always loved reading and writing, and friends started recommending I blog book reviews, so I thought...why not? I've loved it and am so glad I started blogging. I've met so many other awesome blogger friends! In addition to reading, writing, and blogging, I also love to dance, and spend time with my husband, black Lab, and four kitties :)

What is your theme song?Couldn't resist this one! So I am a HUGE Matchbox Twenty fan. I absolutely LOVE Rob Thomas. So naturally, my theme song is a MB 20 song! "Unwell" is one of my favorites and one that I generally say is my theme song. The lyrics are "I'm not crazy I'm just a little unwell. I know right now you can't tell. But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see a different side of me." I totally relate because as an introvert, it takes me a while to open up to people...so...get to know me a little better and you'll see a different side of me :)Share your favorite blog post on your blog. (aka written by you!)One of my favorite posts is an essay I wrote for the This I Believe program (which is awesome, by the way!). My essay is entitled: Books: Never Leave Home Without Them. I posted this on my blog back in December. What does diversity mean to you?Diversity is the theme for this year's conference, so I thought it would be a good question to answer. Quite simply, diversity means embracing newand different people, cultures, ideas, and things. It means celebrating our differences as a positive thing, not a negative thing. Take a picture of your bookshelf and share it with us! :) (#ABEAShelfie)Here it is! My husband built this for me!! I love it so much:)

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. This week's topic is Top Ten Ten Books I Plan To Have In My Beach Bag This Summer or Ten Books I Think Make Great Beach Reads. I'm going with a combination of both! The first part is beach reads I love, the second half are beach reads I plan to have in my beach bag this summer! Here's the list!

Beach Reads I Recommend:

In my beach bag this summer:

What's in your beach bag this summer? What do you recommend for a great beach read? Happy Reading!

Monday, May 25, 2015

I'm super excited to be a part of the Cover Reveal for Wild Blue Yonder, the third book in the Ceruleans series by Megan Tayte! I absolutely loved Death Wish and Forget Me Not and am eagerly (and impatiently!) waiting for the third book, Wild Blue Yonder!!

Here's the synopsis (and the cover!!):IN A WARPED HEAVEN, SHE MUST CHOOSE HER FATE: OBEDIENCE OR REBELLION

When Scarlett Blake chose life-after-death as a Cerulean, she expected
to grieve for all she left behind: her boyfriend, her best friend, her
mother, her home. But at least Cerulea, her heaven, would be… well,
heavenly. Right?

Wrong.

The world in which Scarlett awakens is very far from her idea of a
utopia. Picturesque, sure, and serene. But there can be no paradise
within the unforgiving walls of a prison, be they of cold, hard stone or
beautifully blue water.

Now Scarlett faces her hardest decision yet: be a good, dutiful Cerulean, or be true to herself and fight for freedom.

And if she can find a way to escape, what then? Can she finally reunite
with her lost sister? Can she save Sienna from the murderous Fallen? Can
she evade her destiny with the Ceruleans?

Can Scarlett Blake ever reclaim her life-before-death… or must she let go of all she loves?

Isn't that cover GORGEOUS?!?! The book releases May 31....can't wait!!Here's more about author Megan Tayte: http://megantayte.com/

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she
grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy
princess fireman. 'Write, Megan,' her grandmother advised. So that's
what she did. Thirty-odd years later, Megan writes the kinds of books
she loves to read: young-adult paranormal romance fiction. Young adult,
because it's the time of life that most embodies freedom and discovery
and first love. Paranormal, because she's always believed that there are
more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in our
philosophy. And romance, because she's a misty-eyed dreamer who lives
for those 'life is so breathtakingly beautiful' moments. Megan grew up
in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor
Castle, but these days she makes her home in Robin Hood's county,
Nottingham. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally
kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a
paleontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who
sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking
someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen
as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

In a futuristic American society where all citizens have computerized chips in their brains and insert needles into their veins to enter a virtual reality, Victor Vale leads a fairly typical life. He is an officer of the law with greater ambitions, a family man, and a dutiful citizen of the Nation. Yet when The Chief assigns him a case to go undercover and expose a community of illegal “creators,” Victor finds himself strangely compelled to write. For the first time, he starts to question the world around him, and becomes involved in a web of lies, uncertain of whom to trust, and unable to distinguish between virtualism and reality. As he searches for answers, Victor slowly begins to unravel hidden truths about the world, and even uncovers an astonishing secret from his own past.

The Last Book Ever Written satirizes our competitive, success-driven society, foresees the effects of the economic recession, and warns what could happen if we let technology go too far.

I've read a lot of dystopian books--books about children killing children for sport. Books about faction systems and rebelling against the outside. Books about wars against other planets. Those definitely have scary, dangerous implications. But a future where "Creators" (those who write, draw, or engage in anything creative) are punished, physical books are outlawed, and humans have computer chips in their brains? Now that, my friends, freaks me out! Kruvant has written a fantastic novel that has so much creativity (ironic, right?), suspense, and real emotion. I was immediately intrigued and hungry for more. I devoured this book in 3 days!

The only thing I didn't like? The cover. I know you're not supposed ot judge a book by its cover, but this one just doesn't line up with how exciting the book is. Perhaps its more plain because creativeness is illegal in the book? Hmmm. Regardless, this was a fantastic read, and one I definitely recommend if you're looking for a different sort of dystopian book--one that's exciting, entertaining, and yes--creative.

Overall rating: 5 stars

About Jonah Kruvant

A writer, teacher, and student of the world, Jonah Kruvant received his Bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College, his Master’s degree in Teaching from Fordham University and his MFA degree from Goddard College. After living abroad in four different countries, Jonah lives in New York. Visit his website at www.jonahkruvant.com.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

I recently got an advance copy of Spelled from NetGalley and I am super excited to read it! I'm participating in a Spotlight Feature Tour this week hosted by Sourcebooks. Here's the info on the book:Title: SpelledAuthor: Betsy Schow352 pages, published June 2, 2015Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairy Tale RetellingFrom Goodreads:Fairy Tale
Survival Rule #32: If you find yourself at the mercy of a wicked witch,
sing a romantic ballad and wait for your Prince Charming to save the
day.Yeah, no thanks. Dorthea is completely
princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like
Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a
forced marriage to the brooding prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had
in mind for her enchanted future.

Talk about unhappily ever after. Trying
to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally
backfires, leaving the kingdom in chaos and her parents stuck in some
place called "Kansas." Now it's up to Dorthea and her pixed off prince
to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse...before it
releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.

“A cute adventure with romance set in a world full of fairy-tale mash-ups. Readers will love Dorthea’s evolution from spoiled princess to strong, confident heroine… For Oz fans, this work is a great clean-read alternative to Danielle Paige’s Dorothy Must Die.” -School Library Journal

“This wickedly funny, fast-paced adventure has it all: brains, courage, and heart. (Plus a kickin’ pair of heels.) .” --Jen Calonita, author of The Secrets of My Hollywood Life and Fairy Tale Reform School series

“Fairy tale survival rule #1, do NOT read this book late at night. You will wake up your entire family with loud laughter. Fairy tale survival rule #2, if you love the Wizard of Oz, clever fairy tale mash-ups, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing what will happen until the very end, you MUST read Spelled.” --J Scott Savage, award winning author of Farworld, Case File 13, and the Mysteries of Cove series.

“A hilarious and snarky reimagining of the world of Oz, along with many other fairy tales injected throughout, "Spelled" is one fabulous read…Kick off those silver slippers and tuck in with this wonderful tale!” —Senator Sipes, Lil Book Bug (Palmdale, CA)

About Author Betsy Schow:

Betsy Schow is the author of the memoir Finished Being Fat, and has been featured on The Today Show and in The Wall Street Journal. She lives in Utah, but travels the country with Color Me Rad 5k, and partners with nonprofits to teach kids creative thinking and how to reach their goals.

Most of the crowd had dispersed. The final few stragglers looked at me with the all­too-common look of fear mixed with trepidation. Pix ’em. They were just servants. It wasn’t like their opinion mattered.

Only one remained, watching me with open curiosity. He looked to be in his late teens or was magically enhanced to appear so. He could have been a hundred for all I knew. I’d never seen him before in my life. He was handsome enough, for a commoner, even in his worn leather pants and cracked work boots. A foreigner, his hair was unruly and dark auburn, which complemented his tanned but dirt-smudged complexion, though the tall, dark stranger vibe was ruined by his piercing pale blue eyes.

Well, I’d had enough of being a sideshow for the day. “If you’re the new gardener, the hedges are overgrown and in need of a trim.” I pointed in the direction of my father. “While you’re there, you can help the king with the wisps.”

The young man’s expression clouded over, but he didn’t move.

I stamped my foot and pointed more forcefully. “Off with you. Courtyard’s that way. Be sure to clean those awful boots before coming back in.”

“Someone told me I’d find a princess of great worth here. One with the strength to be the hero this realm needs.” He stared at me with those unsettling blue eyes. They were cold, like ice water—made me shiver from head to toe. Then his gaze seemed to search even deeper. Finally, he looked through me, like I was nothing.

In brisk steps, he strode across the marble to the courtyard. But before crossing the threshold, he turned back to glare at me with his lip curled ever so slightly. “It seems she was mistaken.”

Just like that, I had been sifted, weighed, and found wanting.

I felt my own lip curl in response. Howrude! Who the Grimm was this peasant to judge me? I was wearing a Glenda original. Original! Not some fairy-godmother knockoff worn by those servant girls turned royal. I was a crown princess, for the love of fairy, and noone dismissed me.

Before I could put the boy in his place—down in the dirt, where he belonged—a clatter came from behind, making me nearly jump out of my shoes. I checked and was relieved that Sterling had simply dropped his sword. By the time I looked back, the gardener was gone.

After stowing his blade, Sterling held up his shield, not in defense of the entrance but so he could look at his reflection. “Clearly he’s blind and doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

I didn’t ask for Sterling’s opinion, but it made me feelbetter.

Until he opened his mouth again.

“Worth, pffft. I mean, look around at all the jewels. Your palace has everything you could ever want. Honestly, I don’t know what you’re fussing about. Why would anyone want to leave?”

Becauseacageisstillacage, no matter how big or glittering the bars are.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. This week's topic is a freebie. I chose Top Ten Books I Will Be Reading SOON--these are books on my immediate radar that I plan on reading and/or reviewing in the near future. Here's the list!1. The Last Book Ever Written by Jonah Kruvant: halfway through this one right now for TLC Book Tours! My review will be posted this Sunday!2. Spelled by Betsy Schow: Look for promotional post with a Giveaway on my blog Thursday!3. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Got this from NetGalley! So excited!4. The Lake Season by Hannah McKinnon: also got this from NetGalley!5. The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson. Intended to read this for Bout of Books but haven't gotten to it yet.6. Paper Towns by John Green: John Green has been hit or miss for me but I saw the preview for the movie and it looked good--wanted to read the book first!7. Never Never: Part Two by Colleen Hoover and Taryn Fisher: DUH.8. The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert: another one from NetGalley9. The Daughter by Jane Shemilt10. A Matter of Heart by Amy Fellner DominyWhat's on your Top Ten list this week? Happy Reading!

Monday, May 18, 2015

Title: Five Night StandAuthor: Richard J Alley307 pages, published May 12, 2015Genre: Generaal FictionNote: I received this book from TLC Book Toursto facilitate my review. I received no other compensation, and all opinions are my own.

Purchase Links

Plot Summary:Legendary jazz pianist
Oliver Pleasant finds himself alone at the end of his career, playing
his last five shows, hoping the music will draw his estranged family
back...

Frank Severs, a middle-aged, out-of-work journalist, is
at a crossroads as his longtime dreams and marriage grind to a
standstill...

And piano prodigy Agnes Cassady is desperately
grasping for fulfillment before a debilitating disease wrenches control
from her trembling fingers...

When Frank and Agnes come to New
York to witness Oliver’s final five-night stand, the timeless force of
Oliver’s music pulls the trio together. Over the course of five nights,
the three reflect on their triumphs and their sorrows: families
forsaken, ideals left along the wayside, secrets kept. Their shared
search for meaning and direction in a fractured world creates an
unexpected kinship that just might help them make sense of the past,
find peace in the present, and muster the courage to face the future.My Review: 4 StarsThis book definitely has more of a biography/memoir vibe to it at times (though it is fiction), and I think that's what kept me from really getting excited about it until around Day 3 of 5. The book is organized in five parts, for each day of the Five Night Stand. What kept me reading was Alley's beautiful writing--I loved his effortless style. By the last half of the book, I was really invested in the characters, especially Agnes. Another one of my favorite characters was Francesca--Oliver's late wife who has been gone 20 years. Perhaps I liked her so much because she loved books!I loved the reflective aspect of the story, and the overall theme of the power of music in our lives. Each character was going through their own struggle in life, and music was what brought them together and helped them cope. The author expressed this beautifully in the book. I ended up really liking this book by the end--I feel that this book is one just about everyone can relate to, and urge you to stick with it if it takes you a bit to get into the story. It's worth it in the end!

About Richard J. Alley:

Richard J. Alley is an award-winning reporter, columnist, and editor from Memphis, Tennessee, where he lives with his wife and four children.

Connect with Richard

Bout of Books 13 is complete! I'm rolling my final update with my Days 5, 6, and 7 updates. This weekend was pretty crazy, as I had to work most of the day Saturday and spent the rest of the weekend worn out from my six day workweek, so I didn't get hardly any reading in this weekend, which was disappointing. However, since my goal was to HAVE FUN, I definitely accomplished that! I sadly didn't get to participate in the Twitter chats (they were at times that didn't work for me this week) but I did get to participate in some of the daily challenges. And I finished two books! Here's the stats:

Final Stats:

Pages Read This Week: 720

Books Completed This Week: Five Night Stand, The Girl on the TrainBooks Read from but not completed yet: Sea Glass SunriseHow did your Bout of Books go? Hope you had fun!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

The third day of Bout of Books 13 is over, just about halfway through the week. I didn't get as much reading done as I'd like, as I had a mid week date night with the hubby to Buffalo Wild Wings--it was a fundraiser for a club at the university I work for. But overall I still got some reading in! Read a little from Sea Glass Sunrise and mostly from The Girl on the Train Most of my reading was in the morning before work, at lunch, and just before bed. Here are the stats:

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The second day of Bout of Books 13 is behind us! I finished my first book on Day 2--Five Night Stand. Despite it's 307 pages, it has larger font and reads fast. Tuesday night I also got 25 pages into The Girl on the Train before I fell asleep. Already loving that book! Wish I could stay up late to read but this girl needs her sleep! I also read a little in Sea Glass Sunrise at lunch. Here are the stats:

The first day of Bout of Books 13 is done! I actually got a ton of reading done! I read before getting ready for work in the morning (my puppy wakes up early, wants to be fed and taken outside, then goes back to sleep....). Also read on my lunch and after dinner for awhile last night! I read from Five Night Stand by Richard J. Alley (a TLC Book Tours book) and Sea Glass Sunrise by Donna Kauffman, which I'm reading and reviewing for NetGalley. Here are the stats:

Monday, May 11, 2015

Today is the first day of Bout of Books 13!! I'm so excited, as this is my favorite readathon!! I'm participating in today's challenge, which is The Bookish Survey. The Bookish Survey is hosted by Lori @ Writing My Own Fairy Tale. The task is simple: answer these survey questions! Here are my answers:1. How do you organize your shelves?

I'm weird. I don't organize them alphabetically, or by color or any sort of system, despite my OCD in other things. I do organize by author though, and size--I like all the mass market paperbacks together, and all the hardbacks together, etc. I have two bookshelves, and one of them is specifically for books I haven't read.
2. What is one of your favorite book that’s not in one of your favorite genres?

Wild by Cheryl Strayed. I don't usually get into biographies or memoirs, but this book was absolutely fantastic!

3. What is the last 5 star book you read?

Forget Me Not by Megan Tayte. It's Book #2 in her Ceruleans series. I've read and reviewed both books in this indie author's series and have absolutely LOVED them. As I've said in my reviews, discovering this author and series is exactly why I love being a book blogger!!

4. What book are you most excited to read during the read-a-thon?

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. It has so much hype! Interested to see what it's all about and if it's worth it.

5. What book do you recommend the most?
If you're a frequent reader of my blog, I'm sorry to make you listen to my praise for this book yet AGAIN but my #1 book I recommend is Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. Absolutely beautiful historical fiction novel. One of my favorite books of all time!What a fun challenge to start the week! What are some of your answers to these? Happy Reading, fellow readers!